Athens Olympic champion Mizuki Noguchi received the "Golden Shoes" on Saturday after being named female marathon runner of the year by the Association of International Marathons and Road Races.
Noguchi is the second Japanese to win the award, after Naoko Takahashi was honored for her victory in the Sydney Olympic women's marathon in 2000.
Noguchi is scheduled to run in the Marugame half-marathon in Kagawa Prefecture on Sunday as part of her training.